Juventus bet on Pirlo becoming new Zidane, Guardiola
A week later, Pirlo has already taken over from Maurizio Sarri after the reigning nine-time Italian champions crashed out of the Champions League in the last 16.”A team is made up of dynamics, interpersonal relationships, expressions,” said Agnelli on Pirlo’s arrival at the club.And Pirlo speaks the language of players, with four league titles won at Juventus between 2011 and 2015, before ending his playing career in November 2017 after three seasons in MLS.”Even during the years away from the club, I kept the relationships,” said Brescia-native Pirlo. “It was normal for me to live in Turin and it feels normal to return to work here.”I prefer to be invested with a great responsibility, it makes me feel alive,” he explained, adding his ambition was “to repeat the career I achieved as a player”.Contemporaries Zidane and Guardiola both achieved that feat with with Real Madrid and Barcelona. But Zidane — who famously lost the 2006 World Cup final to Pirlo’s Italy — spent two years with Real Madrid’s B team, and Guardiola the second-tier Barcelona side, before stepping up and winning the Champions League with the first teams. “Guardiola and Zidane? Everyone would like to have their same journey,” said Pirlo, “but you need to earn it by gaining experience.”Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso believes that it will be a steep climb for his former Italy and AC Milan teammate.”Blessed is he who started immediately at Juventus, I say so because this is a difficult job, it is not enough to have a great career as a footballer behind him,” said Gattuso after Napoli were eliminated from the Champions League against Barcelona. “We have to study and work, we sleep little. I wish him a very big good luck.” ‘Predestined’ Pirlo’s appointment is however seen as a natural one for Juventus whose global brand was boosted after Cristiano Ronaldo’s 100-million-euro ($115 million) signing in 2018.A Sauvé fashion and wine lover, Pirlo is seen as a more natural fit for the club’s ambitions to build a globally cool lifestyle brand to attract untapped markets in North America and Asia.”It was a very Juventus decision, very natural, we think he could be predestined, he was as a player he can become as a coach,” said chief football officer Fabio Paratici.”In his head he has everything to succeed. He is a lad who has been with us, played with us, has always been in contact with us.”We are in uncharted territory, no one has won nine league titles in a row, no one has had such a long cycle of victories and changes.”But winning Serie A is not enough as his predecessors Massimiliano Allegri and Sarri found.And how Pirlo can help Juventus achieve their biggest dream of a first Champions League title since 1996 remains to be seen.Former Juventus coach Fabio Capello believes Pirlo “has very advanced ideas about football”.”He is a midfielder on and off the pitch, he watches and studies everything. He has had very important coaches, so he lacks nothing to do well,” said Capello.Juventus conceded 43 goals in Serie A, their highest total in nearly a decade, with Ronaldo’s 37 goals carrying the team both at home and in Europe.”I’ve had my thoughts on where to put players in the middle of the night, rather than sleeping,” said Pirlo, who also won two Champions League titles under Carlo Ancelotti at AC Milan.”What form would I use? The 4-3-3, all on and off.”It really depends on the players available, maybe you find that they adapt better to another system.”Maybe you realize that the players you thought were one way, are another way. “At that point you have to adapt. If you impose yourself, you waste time and they don’t deliver.” A first coaching job and already high expectations, Andrea Pirlo’s arrival at Juventus has sparked hopes in Italy that he can follow footballing greats Zinedine Zidane and Pep Guardiola’s managerial success.The 41-year-old former Italy and Juventus star was promoted to the top job in Turin just a week after having being appointed coach of their U23 side.”Andrea Pirlo is starting a path that maybe one day will lead him to the top of the first team,” club president Andrea Agnelli said on July 31. Topics :
The living spaces have seperate zones to which family members can retreatThe living spaces flow to an outdoor entertaining area, with an inground pool. Should you happen to be a party guest at 84 Harding St, one thing is certain, you won’t be short of a drink thanks to a kegerator in the outdoor kitchen. A kegerator, for the uninitiated, is a built-in keg from which you can serve beer on tap. “You can just park yourself beside the barbecue and order whatever beer you like,” Ms Krugel laughs. “Apparently it’s the next big thing.” There’s a lot of home here for a 407sq m block. “There was no compromising on space here. It’s a beautiful block. I’m very particular when it comes to that.” Despite being off site for most of the renovation, she says the process proved seamless. “The architect had a camera on site, with pictures taken every few hours, so I could follow the progress of the build. I’m so pleased with it. I have fallen in love with it.”Harding St may be Ms Krugel’s first foray into the Brisbane property market, but she has a self-professed love for the city and the suburb of Hendra in particular. “I love Brisbane. I love the pre-war Queenslanders. I would like to find another house in Hendra. It’s an up-and-coming suburb and you can find what is essentially an ugly duckling and turn it into a swan.” The house is on the market for offers of more than $2.2 million. 84 Harding St in Hendra is on sale for offers of more than $2.2 millionRacegoers dressed in their best finery spill over the side railings at Eagle Farm racecourse, their eyes trained on the finishing post, hoping this will be their lucky day. The scene, captured in a photograph in 1938 and retrieved from the archives of Queensland’s John Oxley Library, hangs in pride of place above the bar at 84 Harding St in Hendra.Its purpose? To give a potential buyer of this renovated pre-war Queenslander a feel for life in the local area in a time gone by. A photograph of racegoers at Eagle Farm in 1938 hangs above the bar“It’s my signature,” says Linda Krugel, the owner of the house, whose pastime is flipping properties. “When I do up a home I like to leave something nostalgic behind, something related to its history or the area.”With the property only minutes from the Eagle Farm and Doomben racecourses in Brisbane’s inner-northeast the photograph seems a fitting tribute.This is the third property that Ms Krugel, who lives in Watsons Bay in Sydney, has renovated, but it is her first in Brisbane. She bought the property for $835,000 in 2018 and has spent $1.2 million on the improvements. Contrary to most budding property developers though, she says she’s not in it to make money. The house is great for parties and entertaining“It’s my passion,” she says. “I don’t really make much out of it, it’s just something I love to do. I love taking an old home and finding something unexpected. Sometimes you can create something quite magical.”Ms Krugel used a buying agent to find the Hendra property and worked with an architect for 18 months to transform the Queenslander into a contemporary five-bedroom, four-bathroom home. “Open spaces in a home are great but you need something to give it depth,” she says. “This house has lots of depth and layering – I call it open-plan with structure. 84 Harding St, Hendra QLD “The house has different zones but there’s also spaces where families can be together.”The upper-level of the home contains the original house and is a mix of bedrooms and living spaces. “I kept the original tongue and groove walls of the Queenslander, but the rest is quite modern,” Ms Krugel said. The lower level features a guest room, media room and a lounge and dining area, which is flanked by the kitchen and a butler’s pantry. “If you’re entertaining, you need a butler’s pantry. They disappeared for a while, but now they’re back in fashion. What’s old is new again,” she said.More from newsParks and wildlife the new lust-haves post coronavirus10 hours agoNoosa’s best beachfront penthouse is about to hit the market10 hours ago
International energy consultancy Xodus Group has doubled its Perth workforce following a successful year.Xodus said on Tuesday that it had seen a surge in its environmental, field development, and subsea work in the past year.The company also recently secured a major cross-services contract with Beach Energy in Australia on the Trefoil gas condensate field in the Bass Basin.Simon Allison, Xodus’ operations director for the APAC region, said: “As shown by the recent Trefoil win, we’re really starting to reap the benefits of having a larger, integrated team with a much wider variety of capabilities. That contract, combined with our digital transformation work, has enhanced our reputation as a leading provider of integrated front-end services in the region.”Last year, Xodus acquired Perth-based Green Light Environmental (GLE) with the new integrated environmental capability led by Petrina Raitt, who was GLE’s managing director.A key aspect of the acquisition was to enable global promotion through of GLE’s cloud-based digital EIA system, eBase.Allison stated: “eBase has become a leading digital EIA solution for international oil and gas companies and Xodus is already seeing how such a solution can be applied to other basins outside of Australia as well as other energy sectors such as offshore wind.“Since the acquisition, our combined environmental team has gone from strength-to-strength. Alongside our field development unit, we are establishing new relationships and delivering quality services to several major operators.“The success over the last two years is allowing us to explore new markets and regions. The energy transition is front and center for Xodus and we are already working closely with industry bodies on how we can support the future energy landscape with projects in hydrogen and renewables.”Spotted a typo? Have something more to add to the story? Maybe a nice photo? Contact our editorial team via email. Also, if you’re interested in showcasing your company, product, or technology on Offshore Energy Today, please contact us via our advertising form where you can also see our media kit.
Boys Golf results for Thursday (5-24) match vs. East Central.Match was played at Grand Oak (Front 9).Team Scores: East Central 178, Batesville 181Match Medalist: Ross Harmeyer-Batesville (+2) 38Next Match: Sectional (Friday June 1st)Record: 36-15Courtesy of Bulldogs Coach Ben Siefert.
Indianapolis, In. — In the wake of widespread damage caused by Hurricane Michael, Secretary of State Connie Lawson today cautioned investors to watch out for opportunistic investment or charitable scams.“Natural disasters bring out the best and worst in people. While news stemming from Hurricane Michael has rightfully focused on the tireless efforts of first responders and neighbors helping neighbors, we know from experience that financial predators are lurking like snakes in the water to seek profit from the misfortune of others,” said Secretary of State Connie Lawson. “Unsolicited investment offers seeking to capitalize on the aftermath of Hurricane Florence should be approached with extreme caution.”Secretary Lawson reminded investors to watch for red flags of hurricane-related scams, including unsolicited email, social media messages, crowdfunding pitches or telephone calls promoting investment pools or bonds to help storm victims, water-removal or purification technologies, electricity-generating devices and distressed real estate remediation programs. Scam artists may linger long after the storm has passed to prey on victims who anticipate receiving large lump-sum insurance settlements for damaged property and other losses.Secretary Lawson offered three quick tips to help investors avoid disaster-related scams:Delete unsolicited emails or social media messages and hang up on aggressive cold callers promoting hurricane-related investments, especially those from small companies touting unproven or new technologies or products.Use common sense. Claims of guaranteed returns or low/no investment risk are classic red flags. Every investment involves some degree of risk.Do your homework. Contact my office to check that both the seller and investment are licensed and registered. If not, they may be operating illegally.
Test rivals Joe Schmidt and Vern Cotter are already plotting behind the scenes to pull off their “ultimate goal” of forming a New Zealand coaching dream team, according to Paul Tupai. Cotter drew Schmidt into his Bay of Plenty backroom staff straight from teaching in 2003, and the duo pulled off the province’s first Ranfurly Shield victory in their one campaign together. After that surprise 33-28 victory over Auckland, Schmidt swapped Bay of Plenty for the Blues, while Cotter became forwards coach at the Crusaders. Schmidt later joined Cotter’s coaching staff at Clermont before striking out on his own in his trophy-laden stint with Leinster. Tupai made his 100th Bay of Plenty appearance in that famous Ranfurly Shield win, and believes Schmidt and Cotter were the perfect coaching foil even back then. Current All Blacks boss Steve Hansen’s contract expires in 2017, by which time Tupai believes his two former coaches could be ready to step into the breach. “Vern’s a Bay boy by heart so he was a passionate coach, and him bringing Joe in just levelled things out a bit really,” said Tupai. “Back then he was more the go through them, smash through them and be tough as rugby players, then you had Joe at the back there saying ‘we can go around them’. “He was the level-headed and calm one who brought everything back down to the right level. “They just complemented each other really and Joe’s a good man, his background as a schoolteacher really shows when he talks to people. “They were both extremely professional and very well-prepared coaches. They just came at it from different perspectives and that made a great blend. “They would never leave a stone unturned when it came to preparing for a match, that’s for sure. “A lot of the backs that year would talk about and really respect Joe for the level of detail he would bring to preparations and what he would demand of them. “He was all about skills, being able to pass to the same level off both hands, things like that, and reading the game. He would always be trying to work out a way to get around a team rather than just bash through them, a nd that’s what he was good at to be fair. “Vern would want to get the ball down the middle and send the forwards through opponents, but when he wanted to find a way to go around a team, that’s where Joe would come in. “So you put those two together, you end up getting through, as well as round teams.” Press Association And he believes Ireland boss Schmidt and Scotland chief Cotter are perfect All Blacks coaching candidates, as the old friends prepare for their first Test clash in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations finale. “I think coaching the All Blacks together is probably their ultimate goal,” Tupai told Press Association Sport, of Schmidt and Cotter’s career plans. “I don’t really know how it works in New Zealand for that, I assume you have to get in line and wait your chance. “But there’s no doubt they would want to be in that handful of coaches that will be getting the job at some point down the line. “I think they have to be in that category to be honest, with everything they’ve achieved already, and no doubt with more to come. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they already have a plan to be fair, to try to get back there together. And they’ve definitely got to be up there. “They’ve gained a huge amount of respect in rugby circles right across the world for what they’ve achieved, and that carries a lot of clout I think.” Former Bay of Plenty number eight Cotter took the reins with Scotland this season after a hugely successful stint with French giants Clermont Auvergne. Former Samoa number eight Tupai underpinned Bay of Plenty’s Ranfurly Shield win of 2004 that put Schmidt and Cotter on the coaching map, and 11 years on he believes the two Kiwis harbour a private long-term plan to team up again with the All Blacks. Tupai still churns out quality performances with Championship club Bedford Blues aged 40, but will forever rate taking the Ranfurly Shield off Auckland among his finest moments in more than two decades of rugby. 
Associated Press Bama looks to sweep Miss. St. February 24, 2020 Share This StoryFacebookTwitteremailPrintLinkedinRedditAlabama (15-12, 7-7) vs. Mississippi State (17-10, 8-6)Humphrey Coliseum, Starkville, Mississippi; Tuesday, 9 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Mississippi State seeks revenge on Alabama after dropping the first matchup in Tuscaloosa. The teams last faced each other on Jan. 8, when the Crimson Tide outshot Mississippi State from the field 49.1 percent to 37.7 percent and hit 11 more foul shots on their way to the 21-point victory.
LEADING THE CHARGE: Mississippi State’s Reggie Perry has averaged 17.3 points and 9.8 rebounds while Robert Woodard II has put up 11.6 points and 6.8 rebounds. For the Crimson Tide, Kira Lewis Jr. has averaged 17.4 points, five rebounds and 5.2 assists while John Petty Jr. has put up 15.3 points and 6.9 rebounds.KEY FACILITATOR: Lewis has accounted for 48 percent of all Alabama field goals over the last five games. The sophomore guard has 38 field goals and 38 assists in those games.WINLESS WHEN: Alabama is 0-6 when scoring fewer than 76 points and 15-6 when scoring at least 76.UNDEFEATED WHEN: Alabama is a perfect 5-0 when it holds an opponent to 68 points or fewer. The Crimson Tide are 10-12 when opponents score more than 68.PACE OF PLAY: The upbeat Alabama offense has averaged 77.5 possessions per game, the third-most in Division I. Mississippi State has not been as uptempo as the Crimson Tide and is averaging only 67.2 possessions per game (ranked 277th, nationally). ___For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/AP_Top25___This was generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from STATS LLC, https://www.stats.com
The tie didn’t last long. Monahan scored his 20th of the season 13:25 into the second on a one-timer from the slot off a pass from Gaudreau, putting the Flames back up 2-1.The Flames went on a power play when Boston’s Matt Grzelcyk was called for roughing 14:32 into the second. The Flames won the faceoff after the penalty and scored five seconds later when Monahan redirected a shot by Tkachuk.Tkachuk put Calgary up 1-0 when he backhanded in a rebound after a slap shot by Backlund went wide and took a hard bounce off the end boards.Wagner poked in a loose puck during a scrum 13:09 into the third to pull Boston within 3-2.Backlund set himself up with a pass off the boards coming up the ice and beat Rask with 1:30 left in the third. NOTES: Nick Ritchie made his debut for the Bruins the night after coming over in a trade with Anaheim at Monday’s deadline. … D Derek Forbort, traded to Calgary by Los Angeles on Monday, and Gustafsson played their first game for the Flames. … The Bruins honored G Jaroslav Halak in a pre-game ceremony for playing in 500 career games. Halak, who backed up Rask on Tuesday, reached the milestone Dec. 3 with a 2-0 shutout of Carolina. … Boston C Par Lindholm played in his 100th career game and got an assist on Wagner’s goal.UP NEXTFlames: At Nashville on Thursday night.Bruins: Host Dallas on Thursday night.___ David Rittich finished with 26 saves for Calgary.Brad Marchand scored a shorthanded goal for the Bruins, who were playing their first home game since Feb. 15 and came out flat after a four-game road trip. The Bruins lost back-to-back games for the first time since a four-game skid in early December.It was just the third home loss in regulation for the Bruins, who still lead the NHL with 90 points (39-13-12).Tuukka Rask finished with 26 saves for Boston.Marchand tied it at 1-all 10:08 into the second on a breakaway, scoring his 27th career shorthanded goal and extending his point streak to seven straight games. February 25, 2020 Share This StoryFacebookTwitteremailPrintLinkedinRedditBOSTON (AP) — Sean Monahan scored a pair of goals 1:12 apart in the second period and the Calgary Flames beat the Boston Bruins 5-2 on Tuesday night.Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists for the Flames and Erik Gustafsson picked up an assist in his debut for Calgary after coming over in a deal with Chicago at Monday’s trade deadline.Mikael Backlund also scored twice for Calgary, helping seal the win on a goal with 1:30 left in the third and adding an empty-netter in the final minute. The Flames remained on top of the Western Conference wild card standings with their first victory in Boston since Nov. 25, 2016.
Monahan, Backlund score 2G each, Flames beat Bruins 5-2 Associated Press More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
March 17, 2020 Africa’s second biggest international soccer tournament has been postponed.Organizer the Confederation of African Football say the African Nations Championship scheduled for April 4-25 in Cameroon has been postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic. The tournament features national teams made up of players who play in their domestic leagues.Africa’s top tournament, the African Cup of Nations, is due to be played early next year, also in Cameroon.Cameroon was still willing to host the African Nations Championship, CAF said, but the measures taken by other African governments to restrict travel made it difficult to go ahead.Morocco and Rwanda had already withdrawn for the tournament. The NCAA is suspending normal building operations at its main office in Indianapolis, starting Wednesday through at least April 3. The NCAA national office staff will work remotely and continue normal operations. The NCAA says employees will continue to be accessible. The length of the suspension will be evaluated on an ongoing basis.___1:50 p.m.International Ice Hockey Federation chief René Fasel says it’s only a matter of time before the executive council is left with no choice but to cancel the men’s world championships because of the coronavirus pandemic.Fasel spoke to The Associated Press shortly after the IIHF canceled the Division I Group A and B world championships, which were to be held in Europe in late April. ___12:40 p.m.The Los Angeles Chargers have donated $250,000 to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to make sure hunger relief services continue uninterrupted in Los Angeles County during the coronavirus pandemic. The Food Bank says the money will be able to help children and their families as children stay home from school, as well as seniors who are self-isolating and hourly workers who are experiencing interruptions to their schedules and paychecks.___ The league announced the move Tuesday. The ACC had previously suspended those activities “until further notice.”The ACC’s statement said the cancellations came after a unanimous decision among league member schools, with Commissioner John Swofford saying league officials are “particularly disappointed for our student-athletes.” ___11:50 a.m.The French Open has been postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. The French Tennis Federation announced Tuesday that the clay-court event will run from Sept. 20 to Oct. 4. It is the first Grand Slam tennis tournament affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Main-draw competition was supposed to start in Paris on May 24. UEFA plans to play the tournament next year from June 11 to July 11. The 24-team competition is being hosted in 12 different countries.The postponement clears space to give national leagues and the Champions League and Europa League a chance to finish their seasons by June 30.European soccer is in a shutdown and it is unclear when games can resume.___2:15 p.m. The Hurricanes also say VAB Catering, PNC Arena’s food service, will donate food to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, a Raleigh-based nonprofit.___3:35 p.m.The Southeastern Conference has canceled sporting events for the rest of the season.The events had been suspended. The league announced the decision Tuesday, becoming the last of the Power Five conferences to cancel all competition. 1 p.m.The European Tour is postponing the Andalucia Masters that was schedule for April 30 to May 3 at Valderrama in southern Spain.That makes six regular European Tour golf tournaments have been postponed because of the new coronavirus. A total of eight events on the tour’s worldwide schedule have been postponed, including the Match Play and the Masters.The tournament is hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation. The tour said it would try to reschedule.Europe’s last event was on March 8 at the Qatar Masters. Next on the schedule would be the GolfSixes in Portugal on May 10-11. FIFA also plans to donate $10 million to the World Health Organization for tackling the new coronavirus.___4:35 p.m.Three major one-day classic bike races in France and Belgium have been postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.Race organizer Amaury Sport Organisation says Paris-Roubaix, the Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege will be postponed. Luis Rubiales says the federation is not contemplating calling off the rest of the season and awarding the title to Barcelona, which was leading the league when it was suspended. Rubiales says the goal is to finish all competition by June 30, but they may be extended beyond that if necessary.He says he would prefer altering the calendar next season instead of making changes that could keep this one from finishing fairly.___2:40 p.m.National Letter of Intent signings for college athletes have been suspended until April 15. The IOC says 43% of places at the games have yet to be confirmed.___2:25 p.m.This year’s European Championship has been postponed for one year.UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin says the spreading coronavirus “makes football and all life in Europe quite impossible.” The BHA says the decision was taken “to protect essential emergency services and the health and welfare of staff working in the racing industry.”BHA chief executive Nick Rust says its “first duty is to the health of the public, our customers and to racing industry participants and staff,” while saying it will do its best to support those whose livelihoods depend on what Rust said is a “4 billion pound industry.”___1 p.m.The men’s and women’s European gymnastics championships have been canceled. The Latest: African Nations Championship postponed In an open letter on the F1 website, Carey wrote: “We apologize to those fans affected by the cancellation in Australia, as well as the postponement of the other races to date. These decisions are being made … in rapidly changing and evolving circumstances, but we believe they are the right and necessary ones. We also want to extend our thoughts to those already affected, including those in the Formula 1 family.”On Monday, tire provider Pirelli said one of its staff tested positive for the virus and was undergoing treatment in Melbourne.___11:45 a.m.Soccer in Russia has been suspended until April 10. ___3:50 p.m.The Carolina Hurricanes have announced plans to compensate arena and team event staff for lost wages with the NHL season on hold due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.The team says hourly staff will be compensated based on expected workload during the final seven regular-season home games.Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon and the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation, a charitable arm of the franchise, are funding the plans. The team says Hurricanes players have also made a “generous donation” to help event-staff employees affected. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and his wife, Sarah, are donating $100,000 to help provide assistance in Atlanta during the coronavirus outbreak.The donation will be split between two charitable organizations: Atlanta Community Food Bank, which provides food to the needy, and Giving Kitchen, which offers emergency assistance to food service workers.Ryan says he and his wife have a lot of friends in the restaurant industry and want to “create awareness for one of the industries that’s going to struggle during this time.”The Falcons’ starting quarterback for the past 12 years, Ryan has been heavily involved in the community through the Boys and Girls clubs and raising money for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.1:55 p.m. 4:50 p.m.FIFA president Gianni Infantino says he is ready to ask China to postpone next year’s 24-team Club World Cup to make space for the European Championship and Copa America.Infantino says he will propose talks with the Chinese government and the country’s soccer officials in a call Wednesday with a panel of FIFA vice presidents.That group will include the leaders of European and South American soccer who pushed their marquee championships back one year because of the coronavirus outbreak.The inaugural 24-team Club World Cup was set to open on June 17, 2021, in China as a signature project of Infantino. The FIFA president suggests rescheduling the club tournament to later in 2021, or in either 2022 or 2023. Kelmendi is the first athlete from Kosovo to win an Olympic gold medal.Coach Driton Kuka is among the group. None of them has been infected by the virus.Kosovo has had 16 coronavirus cases. All sports and other entertainment or cultural activities have been suspended in the country and schools, cafes, restaurants, gyms and pools have been closed.___9:55 a.m. The cycling season has been turned upside down by the outbreak. Prestigious events like the Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo and some early Belgian classics have been canceled or postponed. The Giro d’Italia also won’t start at its scheduled May date.ASO has yet to make a decision on the Tour de France. That race is scheduled to start in Nice on June 27.___noonThe Atlantic Coast Conference has canceled all athletics competition and practices through the rest of the 2019-20 academic year amid concerns about the spread of the coronavirus. The Diamond League has called off its first three track meets of the season.The Diamond League was scheduled to start in Qatar next month. Two meets in China in May were to follow. The Diamond League says travel restrictions and disrupted preparations caused by the coronavirus outbreak have made it impossible to stage those competitions on time.The season is now tentatively set to begin in Stockholm on May 24.Only one of the three canceled meets has been rescheduled. The event in Shanghai is now set for Aug. 13. The meet in Qatar and the second Chinese meet have been postponed indefinitely but could be restaged after the Diamond League final in September.The 2020 season was supposed to see a shift in how the Diamond League is run with an extended 15-meet season and fewer events at each. ___3:20 p.m.The IOC says there is “no need for any drastic decisions at this stage” about staging the Tokyo Olympics with more than four months until the opening ceremony.After consulting with sports bodies about the effects of the coronavirus outbreak, the IOC says “any speculation at this moment would be counter-productive.”The International Olympic Committee says financial interests will not dictate its decisions “thanks to its risk management policies and insurance.” ___1:05 p.m.All horse racing in Britain will be suspended starting Wednesday.It was the last remaining major sport to be continuing in the country amid the coronavirus outbreak.But the British Horseracing Authority says the race meetings in Wetherby and Taunton — being staged without fans on Tuesday — will be last until the end of April. The Collegiate Commissioner’s Association, which administers the letter of intent used by NCAA Division I and II athletes, says the suspension will be re-evaluated on or before April 15.The Division I football signing period began Feb. 5 and was scheduled to end April 1. It will be extended 30 days after it resumes. Most FBS schools have filled their 2020 classes.The Division I basketball signing period was scheduled to begin April 15 and end May 20.___2:30 p.m. The decision includes championship, spring football games and pro day workouts for NFL teams run by SEC schools.Team and individual practices and meetings remain suspended through at least April 15.Earlier in the day, the Atlantic Coast Conference canceled all spring competition, plus all athletic-related activities, including practices.___12:30 p.m. The 16-team world championships are scheduled for Switzerland starting May 8. But Fasel says, if he had to make the decision today, “there is no chance we can skate.”Fasel says the IIHF is consulting with its host and marketing partners and insurance carrier to determine what contractual obligations must be met before deciding to cancel the tournament.The challenges to go ahead with hosting the tournament are many, Fasel said, ranging from health directives in place limiting attendance to travel bans making it difficult for nations to send their teams.Another issue is players lacking practice time, with most of world’s hockey leagues having either indefinitely suspended or canceled their seasons. On Monday, the NHL announced it will wait 45 days before it can provide guidance on when teams can potentially reopen practice.___ The Kentucky Derby has been postponed from May to September because of the coronavirus pandemic.Churchill Downs officials said Tuesday the race will move from May 2 to Sept. 5, marking the first time in 75 years it won’t be run on the first Saturday in May.The last time the first leg of the Triple Crown wasn’t held on the first Saturday in May was in 1945, when the federal government issued a ban on horse racing because of World War II. The ban was lifted on May 8, and the Derby was held on June 9. The only other year the Derby wasn’t held in May was in 1901, when it was raced on April 29.The date change still must be approved by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission at its meeting Thursday.___ 1:40 p.m.The Kontinental Hockey League and the VTB United League in basketball have suspended play.Both leagues say they will stop until at least April 10.The KHL is widely considered to be the strongest hockey league outside the NHL. It had previously said it would pause for a week to draw up a new playoff format. It’s been left with six Russian teams in an eight-team bracket after Finnish team Jokerit and Kazakh team Barys withdrew.___ 1:10 p.m.The Spanish soccer league has offered about 500 coronavirus tests for its clubs.The tests have been distributed prioritizing teams that traveled to risk areas or already have players infected.Valencia defender Ezequiel Garay on Sunday became the first Spanish league player infected with the virus.The distribution of tests began last Thursday as part of the league’s actions to support its clubs during the pandemic. 1:45 p.m.UK Athletics says all clubs and groups should not be training or taking part in competitive races amid the coronavirus outbreak.The guidance follows directives outlined by the British government about limiting social contact.UKA said the suspension also applies to coaching and officiating.___ Associated Press Hertha general manager Michael Preetz says “it was to be expected that the virus would reach the team sooner or later. The most important thing now is that everyone sticks to the rules.”___10:10 a.m.The Kosovo judo team has been self-isolating as it prepares for the Tokyo Olympics.Olympic champion Majlinda Kelmendi, four other judokas and five staff members have closed themselves in at a training center in Peja, 85 kilometers (50 miles) west of Pristina. ___12:10 p.m.Formula One CEO Chase Carey has apologized to fans for the early part of the series being called of by the coronavirus outbreak.The Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne wasn’t canceled last week until teams and drivers forced it. A McLaren team member had tested positive and some drivers had already flown home, but F1 still waited to cancel until just before practices were scheduled to start.The following three races in Bahrain, Vietnam and China have all been postponed. 10:35 a.m.Hertha Berlin’s players and coaching staff are going into quarantine for 14 days after one of the players tested positive for the coronavirus.The Bundesliga club doesn’t say which player was affected.The team had been due to return to training on Tuesday after three days of individual exercise.Hertha doctor Uli Schleicher says “the player complained about the usual symptoms and we immediately separated him from the group. A test then produced a positive result for the virus. All players in our squad must now stay at home for the next two weeks.” The European Gymnastics Union says it tried to find ways to keep its events going despite the spread of the coronavirus but found it impossible because of government restrictions and travel bans.The events offered Olympic qualifying spots.The women’s championships were due to be held in Paris from April 30-May 3, and the men’s championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, from May 27-31.Also called off are European rhythmic gymnastics championships in Ukraine and the European trampoline championship in Sweden, both in May.The UEG says it hopes the events can be rescheduled for the second half of the year. The Russian league was the best attended sports competition still operating in Europe last weekend with more than 33,000 fans at one of its games.The Russian Football Union says its board agreed to immediately suspend all competitions at a meeting Tuesday.That follows a wave of tighter restrictions on public gatherings and events across Russia and a decision by CSKA Moscow to cancel its upcoming game against Zenit St. Petersburg.Fans made ironic references to the virus outbreak at games last week. Fans of Zenit chanted “we’re all going to die” on Saturday and CSKA supporters displayed a banner on Sunday with the club crest and the message: “This virus is inside me. I’m its carrier.”___ The Copa America has been postponed until 2021 because of the coronavirus outbreak.South American soccer body CONMEBOL says the tournament in Colombia and Argentina will be played between June 11 and July 11.CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez says “it is an extraordinary measure for an unexpected situation, and it answers the fundamental need to avoid an exponential development of the virus.”___10 a.m. Oakland Athletics president Dave Kaval has invited a 39-year-old A’s fan named Justin, who posted on Twitter he is a “very healthy” Type 1 diabetic with the coronavirus, to throw out the first pitch on opening day — whenever that is.Kaval wrote on Twitter: “Get well soon! The whole (at)Athletics nation is sending you positive thoughts. How is your arm? Would be honored to have you throw out the first pitch opening day!”___8:05 p.m.The president of the Spanish soccer federation has dismissed the idea of crowning Barcelona as league champion if the competition can’t resume because of the coronavirus pandemic. Share This StoryFacebookTwitteremailPrintLinkedinRedditThe Latest on the coronavirus pandemic’s effect on sports around the world (all times local):___9:05 p.m. China has already resumed a partial track and field schedule after the virus outbreak subsided. It was supposed to host the world indoor championships this month in Nanjing but that event was moved to 2021.___More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports,Tampa Bay Lightning advance to face Dallas Stars in Stanley Cup finals, beating New York Islanders 2-1 in OT in Game 6
Despite ultimately finishing with a 5.0-yards-per-carry, Montee Ball and Wisconsin’s rushing attack took a while to get going Saturday night. UW finished with only 89 yards.[/media-credit]Every week, Herald Sports will look back and evaluate the most recent game by the Wisconsin football team on a scale of zero to five.The Badgers suffered their second consecutive loss Saturday night, falling to Ohio State 33-29 at Ohio Stadium. The loss drops Wisconsin into a three-way tie for second place in the Big Ten Leaders Division, with a conference record of 2-2 (6-2 overall).Quarterbacks – 4 out of 5Fifth-year senior Russell Wilson had a more polished game than he did against Michigan State, completing 20 of 32 passes for 253 and three touchdowns. His feet allowed him to avoid some sacks as well, and he was especially savvy in UW’s last two drives, throwing a perfect ball to Jared Abbrederis in the back of the end zone during the first and finding him wide open downfield on the second.Nevertheless, Wilson’s decision-making was suspect at times. He began the fourth quarter with a costly intentional grounding call that moved the Badgers to their own 6-yard line, and his second-to-last throw of the game was to a wide receiver that was not open and unable to score. However, a flag for pass interference gave him another chance.Backfield – 3 out of 5The Wisconsin backfield was held to under 100 yards rushing for the first time in nearly two years, but the blame doesn’t rest squarely on the backs, nor can one forget about the production in the air.Running back Montee Ball and fullback Bradie Ewing provided an essential safety net for Wilson to rely on throughout the game, combining for six catches, 67 yards and one touchdown.Tight ends – 3 out of 5Redshirt sophomore Jacob Pedersen started strong for UW, catching two passes for 11 yards and one first down in the first half. However, Pedersen became pretty quiet after that, catching only one more pass the rest of the game.Wide receivers – 3.5 out of 5Redshirt sophomore Abbrederis came up big for Wisconsin in the fourth quarter, scoring two touchdowns and finishing the night with six catches for 113 yards. But Wilson didn’t have many other options at wideout as fifth-year senior Nick Toon had another quiet night with 39 yards on three catches.Offensive line – 2.5 out of 5Wisconsin’s front five were dominated by Ohio State’s front seven all game long and could not get anything going on the run, producing just 89 yards on the night. Take away a fourth-quarter 40-yard dash by Ball, and the running game averaged just 1.75 yards per carry.Pass protection was not much better, either, as Wilson was sacked three times and chased around all evening.Defensive line – 3 out of 5On an astounding 58 rushing plays, Ohio State rattled off 268 yards rushing – an average of 4.6 yards per carry. On several occasions, the Badger D-line was able to apply pressure on Buckeye quarterback Braxton Miller but only contained him once when redshirt junior Brendan Kelly earned the unit’s lone sack in the first quarter.Miller ran for 99 yards and two touchdowns on the night.Linebackers – 4 out of 5With such a profusion of rushing attacks from Ohio State, the Wisconsin linebacking corps was forced to play a more aggressive game and answered the call with all the starters leading the team in tackles. Redshirt junior Mike Taylor gobbled up an incredible 22 stops on the night, while sophomore Chris Borland pitched in 13 more. Senior Kevin Claxton totaled 10 tackles and scored 2.5 tackles for loss, including one sack.Secondary – 2 out of 5Ohio State didn’t pass the ball much – just 12 times – but it was ultimately the secondary that came away with the most egregious – and costly – of errors. Miller’s 40-yard heave with 20 seconds left landed in the hands of Devin Smith in the middle of the endzone with no defensive back in position to make a play, losing the game for the Badgers.Specialists – 1 out of 5In more ways than one, the special teams unit can claim a good amount of responsibility for Saturday’s loss, as well. The most memorable instance is, of course, the blocked punt in the third quarter, which led to the Buckeyes taking a 17-7 lead.Later in the fourth quarter, Abbrederis opted to field a punt inside his own 5-yard line rather than let it bounce for a touchback. UW eventually punted from its own 6-yard line on that drive, allowing OSU to get a field goal out of its gifted field position.Then, after Wisconsin took the lead with 1:18 remaining, UW’s kickoff team allowed a 42-yard kick return to the OSU 48, setting up the game-winning score.The unit’s only redeeming quality was a fourth-quarter fumble recovery by linebacker Andrew Lukasko on a punt, which eventually led to a Badger touchdown.